This book will cover the most recent progress on the use of low-cost nanomaterials and development of low-cost/large scale processing techniques for greener and more efficient energy related applications, including but not limited to solar cells, energy storage, fuel cells, hydrogen generation, biofuels, etc.

Leading researchers will be invited to author chapters in the field with their expertise. Each chapter will provide general introduction to a specific topic, current status of research and development, research challenges and outlook for future direction of research.

This book aims to benefit a broad readership, from undergraduate/graduate students to researchers working on renewable energy.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of engineering nanostructures mediated by functional polymers in combination with optimal synthesis and processing techniques. The focus is on polymer-engineered nanostructures for advanced energy applications. It discusses a variety of polymers that function as precursors, templates, nano-reactors, surfactants, stabilizers, modifiers, dopants, and spacers for directing self-assembly, assisting organization, and templating growth of numerous diverse nanostructures. It also presents a wide range of polymer processing techniques that enable the efficient design and optimal fabrication of nanostructured polymers, inorganics, and organic-inorganic nanocomposites using in-situ hybridization and/or ex-situ recombination methodologies. Combining state-of-the-art knowledge from polymer-guided fabrication of advanced nanostructures and their unique properties, it especially highlights the new, cutting-edge breakthroughs, future horizons, and insights into such nanostructured materials in applications such as photovoltaics, fuel cells, thermoelectrics, piezoelectrics, ferroelectrics, batteries, supercapacitors, photocatalysis, and hydrogen generation and storage. It offers an instructive and approachable guide to polymer-engineered nanostructures for further development of advanced energy materials to meet ever-increasing global energy demands. Interdisciplinary and broad perspectives from internationally respected contributors ensure this book serves as a valuable reference source for scientists, students, and engineers working in polymer science, renewable energy materials, materials engineering, chemistry, physics, surface/interface science, and nanotechnology. It is also suitable as a textbook for universities, institutes, and industrial institutions.

Describes various electrochemical processes related to the renewable compounds, including hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction, carbon dioxide reduction, nitrogen reduction, methanol oxidation, urea oxidation and ammonia oxidation. Highlights fundamental aspects, catalysts designing principles and measurement criteria of different electrochemical transformations. Covers the important electrocatalysts, including transition metal phosphide-based electrocatalysts, earth-abundant electrocatalysts, graphene-supported nanomaterials, self-supported nanoarrays, single-atom catalysts and MOFs derived electrocatalysts. Explores the strategies and mechanisms for improving the electrocatalytic performance of various electrocatalysts. Discusses future development of renewable compounds produced by electrochemical transformation.

This book investigates recent progress in synthesis of soft, hard and hybrid Janus structures and looks at processing strategy, such as emulsion polymerization, microfluidics, co-jetting and seeded growth. Also reviewed are both the experimental and theoretical studies on the unique self-assembly behaviour of Janus particles.Janus particles are special types of nanoparticles whose surfaces have two or more distinct physical properties. These two hemistructures are of different composition and functionality, offering promising potential for application through the multiple combinations possible - areas in which Janus structures can be applied include drug delivery, magnetic biomarkers, bactericides, tailored plasmon resonance, photocatalysis and nanoengines. Encapsulating a wealth of research on Janus structures, this review of the literature is specifically designed to benefit graduate students and researchers in the fields of chemistry, materials science, engineering, biotechnology and applied physics, as well as practitioners in these industries.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of engineering nanostructures mediated by functional polymers in combination with optimal synthesis and processing techniques. The focus is on polymer-engineered nanostructures for advanced energy applications. It discusses a variety of polymers that function as precursors, templates, nano-reactors, surfactants, stabilizers, modifiers, dopants, and spacers for directing self-assembly, assisting organization, and templating growth of numerous diverse nanostructures. It also presents a wide range of polymer processing techniques that enable the efficient design and optimal fabrication of nanostructured polymers, inorganics, and organic-inorganic nanocomposites using in-situ hybridization and/or ex-situ recombination methodologies. Combining state-of-the-art knowledge from polymer-guided fabrication of advanced nanostructures and their unique properties, it especially highlights the new, cutting-edge breakthroughs, future horizons, and insights into such nanostructured materials in applications such as photovoltaics, fuel cells, thermoelectrics, piezoelectrics, ferroelectrics, batteries, supercapacitors, photocatalysis, and hydrogen generation and storage. It offers an instructive and approachable guide to polymer-engineered nanostructures for further development of advanced energy materials to meet ever-increasing global energy demands. Interdisciplinary and broad perspectives from internationally respected contributors ensure this book serves as a valuable reference source for scientists, students, and engineers working in polymer science, renewable energy materials, materials engineering, chemistry, physics, surface/interface science, and nanotechnology. It is also suitable as a textbook for universities, institutes, and industrial institutions.

This book will cover the most recent progress on the use of low-cost nanomaterials and development of low-cost/large scale processing techniques for greener and more efficient energy related applications, including but not limited to solar cells, energy storage, fuel cells, hydrogen generation, biofuels, etc. Leading researchers will be invited to author chapters in the field with their expertise. Each chapter will provide general introduction to a specific topic, current status of research and development, research challenges and outlook for future direction of research. This book aims to benefit a broad readership, from undergraduate/graduate students to researchers working on renewable energy.

Multifunctional Photocatalytic Materials for Energy discusses recent developments in multifunctional photocatalytic materials, such as semiconductors, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and graphene, with an emphasis on their novel properties and synthesis strategies and discussions of their fundamental principles and applicational achievements in energy fields, for example, hydrogen generation from water splitting, CO2 reduction to hydrocarbon fuels, degradation of organic pollutions and solar cells. This book serves as a valuable reference book for researchers, but is also an instructive text for undergraduate and postgraduate students who want to learn about multifunctional photocatalytic materials to stimulate their interests in designing and creating advanced materials.

Hairy Nanoparticles Authoritative reference summarizing comprehensive knowledge on hairy nanoparticles, their self-assembly, interfacial behavior, and applications in catalysis, biomedicine, lubricant technology, etc. Hairy Nanoparticles provides a comprehensive understanding of the subject, including hairy nanoparticles synthesis, self-assembly (both experiment and simulation), properties, functionalities, and applications. Rendering polymer hairs on the surface of nanoparticles enables hairy nanoparticles to carry a set of intriguing properties. Contributed to by experts in the field and edited by two highly qualified authors, Hairy Nanoparticles includes information on: Hairy nanoparticles via bulk microphase separation of block copolymers and self-assembly of block copolymers in solution Synthesis of monodisperse nanoparticles via block copolymer unimolecular micelles nanoreactors and application of polymer-capped nanoparticles Environmentally responsive well-defined binary mixed homopolymer brush-grafted silica particles and thermoresponsive polymer brush-grafted silica particles Self-assembled morphologies of well-defined binary mixed homopolymer brushes grafted on silica nanoparticles (MBNPs) and computer simulations of the self-assembled morphology of MBNPs Upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type thermoresponsive poly(alkyl methacrylate)s in SpectraSynâ„¢ 4 PAO oil. Providing comprehensive coverage of the subject, Hairy Nanoparticles is an essential introductory resource for scientists and engineers in the fields of chemistry, materials science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, nanobiotechnology, and biomedicine, working in both academia and industry.

Thermoelectric materials have received a great deal of attention in energy-harvesting and cooling applications, primarily due to their intrinsic low cost, energy efficient and eco-friendly nature. The past decade has witnessed heretofore-unseen advances in organic-based thermoelectric materials and devices. This title summarises the significant progress that has been made in the molecular design, physical characterization, and performance optimization of organic thermoelectric materials, focusing on effective routes to minimize thermal conductivity and maximize power factor. Featuring a series of state-of-the-art strategies for enhancing the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of organic thermoelectricity, and highlighting cutting-edge concepts to promote the performance of organic thermoelectricity, chapters will strengthen the exploration of new high-ZT thermoelectric materials and their potential applications. With contributions from leading worldwide authors, Organic Thermoelectric Materials will appeal to graduate students as well as academic and industrial researchers across chemistry, materials science, physics and engineering interested in the materials and their applications.